Jean Hall, a member of the local group the Tippecanotes, said this is a rare opportunity. The convention, which includes barbershop groups from Indiana and Kentucky, hasn't come to Lafayette in more than 35 years, he said.

And there are plenty of ways to capitalize on the opportunity, he said. Listeners can attend prelims for quartets on Friday and finals for the top-tier quartets on Saturday. Full choruses also will show off their skills on Saturday, and the whole competition will end with a showcase of the best of the best, including a performance from the Varsity Glee Club.

Hall said those who attend will get their money's worth. It's not all old men singing "Down by the Old Mill Stream," he said. It's a special sound that only the human voice can deliver.

"It's more than just music," he said. "It is a harmony that brings out the absolute best in sound."